Exercise testing in children with Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome: what is its value?

This study was conducted to evaluate the accuracy of exercise testing for predicting accessory pathway characteristics in children with Wolff-Parkinson-White (WPW) syndrome. The study enrolled 37 children with WPW syndrome and candidates for invasive electrophysiologic study (EPS). Exercise testing was performed for all the study participants before the invasive study. Data from the invasive EPS were compared with findings from the exercise testing. The sudden disappearance of the delta (Δ) wave was seen in 10 cases (27 %). No significant correlation was found between the Δ wave disappearance and the antegrade effective refractory period of the accessory pathway (AERP-AP) or the shortest pre-excited RR interval (SPERRI). The sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values of Δ wave disappearance, based on AERP-AP as gold standard, were respectively 29.4, 80, 71.4, and 40 %. The corresponding values with SPERRI as the gold standard were respectively 23.8, 71.4, 71.4 and 23.8 %. Exercise testing has a medium to low rate of accuracy in detecting low-risk WPW syndrome patients in the pediatric age group.

Biomarker risk assessment and bladder cancer detection in a cohort exposed to benzidine.

BACKGROUND: Cancer screening with highly sensitive, specific biomarkers that reflect molecular phenotypic alterations is an attractive strategy for cancer control. We examined whether biomarker profiles could be used for risk assessment and cancer detection in a cohort of Chinese workers occupationally exposed to benzidine and at risk for bladder cancer. METHODS: The cohort consisted of 1788 exposed and 373 nonexposed workers, followed from 1991 through 1997. We assayed urothelial cells from voided urine samples for DNA ploidy (expressed as the 5C-exceeding rate [DNA 5CER]), the bladder tumor-associated antigen p300, and a cytoskeletal protein (G-actin). Workers were stratified into different risk groups (high, moderate, and low risk) at each examination based on a predefined biomarker profile. For workers who developed bladder cancer, tumor risk assessment was analyzed from samples collected 6-12 months before the cancer diagnosis. The associations between risk group and subsequent development of bladder cancer were analyzed by Cox proportional hazards regression analysis and logistic analysis, after adjustment. All statistical tests were two-sided. RESULTS: Twenty-eight bladder cancers were diagnosed in exposed workers and two in nonexposed workers. For risk assessment, DNA 5CER had 87.5% sensitivity, 86.5% specificity, an odds ratio (OR) of 46.2 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 8.1 to 867.0), and a risk ratio (RR) of 16.2 (95% CI = 7.1 to 37.0); p300 had 50.0% sensitivity, 97.9% specificity, an OR of 40.0 (95% CI = 9.0 to 177.8), and an RR of 37.9 (95% CI = 16.8 to 85.3). The risk of developing bladder cancer was 19.6 (95% CI = 8.0 to 47.9) times higher in workers positive for either the DNA 5CER or p300 biomarkers than in workers negative for both biomarkers and 81.4 (95% CI = 33.3 to 199.3) times higher in workers positive for both biomarkers. G-actin was a poor marker of individual risk. CONCLUSIONS: Occupationally exposed workers at risk for bladder cancer can be individually stratified, screened, monitored, and diagnosed based on predefined molecular biomarker profiles.

Cellular F-actin levels as a marker for cellular transformation: correlation with bladder cancer risk.

Previous findings in cultured cells that differentiated cells had markedly higher F-actin levels than undifferentiated cells (Cancer Res., 50: 2215-2220, 1990) suggested that quantitative F-actin measurements in urinary cells might provide diagnostic or prognostic information by identifying those individuals with cells tending towards a lower degree of differentiation. The feasibility of such an approach was investigated using a risk stratification schema. Bladder wash samples were obtained from 163 symptomatic patients being evaluated for bladder cancer and 41 asymptomatic controls without hematuria or other symptoms consistent with bladder cancer. F-actin levels were evaluated by flow cytometry using a fluorescent phalloidin probe. The risk of bladder cancer was stratified according to biopsy, either DNA ploidy by flow cytometry or quantitative fluorescence image analysis cytology, previous bladder cancer history, and hematuria. A strong correlation between the presence of cells with abnormally low F-actin content in cells obtained by bladder wash from 38 patients and biopsy-proved bladder transitional cell carcinoma (P less than 0.001) was observed. A strong correlation was also observed between the presence of cells with low F-actin content and risk of bladder cancer assessed by either stratification schema (P less than 0.0001). The correlation was more consistent with the stratification by quantitative fluorescence image analysis cytology because of the 37% false-positive rate of ploidy analysis by flow cytometry among the control patients. Further evidence that low F-actin was correlated with cellular abnormality was obtained from simultaneously labeling cells for F-actin and with M344 antibody, a monoclonal antibody against a low-grade bladder tumor-related antigen. These studies showed that the F-actin content of the M344-positive cells was lower than that of the M344-negative cells. These results suggest that F-actin could be an early and sensitive marker for bladder cancer detection and risk prognostication.

Quantitative evaluation of the radon and lung cancer association in a case control study of Chinese tin miners.

Studies of underground miners have consistently shown an increased risk of lung cancer with cumulative exposure to radon-222 and its decay products. Although the deleterious effects of high radon exposure are clear, questions regarding the shape of the exposure-response relationship, and the effects of time factors such as attained age, time since exposure and early age at first exposure, the effect of exposure rate, and the joint association of radon exposure and tobacco use have not yet been fully clarified. This report considers these questions by fitting various models for the relative odds of disease to 74 male lung cancer cases who were diagnosed between 1981 and 1984 and were alive in 1985 and an equal number of controls. All subjects are current or past employees of the Yunnan Tin Corporation, Gejiu City, China, who reside in the local area. Workers were interviewed to obtain information on work history, from which radon exposure in cumulative working level months and arsenic exposure were estimated, and on tobacco use. Results indicate that excess relative risk increases by 1.7% per cumulative working level month [95% confidence interval (0.5, 5.4)]. The linear exposure response relationship significantly declines with year since last radon exposure (P = 0.02). The risk trend also declines with increasing exposure rate (P = 0.001), indicating that long duration of exposure at a low rate may be more deleterious than short duration of exposure at a high rate. A unique aspect of this study population is the very early ages at first radon exposure for many of the workers, about 37% of the radon-exposed workers were first exposed under the age of 13 years. The analysis shows no modification of the radon lung cancer relationship with age at first exposure. These patterns of risk with radon exposure are generally consistent with those reported in the recent National Academy of Sciences' Biological Effects of Ionizing Radiations IV report. The primary method of tobacco consumption in this area of China is by waterpipe. Lung cancer risk increases with pipe-years of use. The joint analysis of tobacco use and radon exposure supports the Biological Effects of Ionizing Radiations IV conclusion that the most likely model is between additive and multiplicative. The variations of the radon lung cancer relationship by years since last exposure and exposure rate are not affected by adjustment for arsenic exposure.

Cellular F-actin levels as a marker for cellular transformation: relationship to cell division and differentiation.

Transformation is associated with profound structural and quantitative changes in the cytoskeleton. Herein we report studies using F-actin, a major cytoskeletal protein, as a quantitative marker for transformation cells, focusing on separating the effects of the cell cycle, cell differentiation, and transformation. The model system for these studies consisted of three lymphoblastic cell lines, one untransformed line (RPMI) and two transformed lines, one (HL-60) of which can be induced to differentiate and the other (Daudi) which cannot. The relation of F-actin levels to cell cycle was studied by flow cytometry with the use of fluorescein-phalloidin to label F-actin and propidium iodide to label DNA. F-actin levels in transformed Daudi and HL-60 lines were only two-thirds that of the untransformed RPMI cells. Histograms of the distribution of F-actin showed that the transformed lines consisted of two cell populations, one having an F-actin content near that of untransformed cells and the other having much less. Cell cycle analysis showed that F-actin in untransformed cells increased 10-15% as cells entered the S compartment, remaining approximately constant through G2 + M phases of the cell cycle, but in transformed cells the major increase in F-actin occurred during G2 + M phase. Double-label studies with rhodamine-phalloidin for F-actin and KI-67 monoclonal antibody for dividing cells (cells at late G1, S, G2, and M) measured with quantitative fluorescence image analysis showed that the mean F-actin content of dividing cells was twice that of nondividing cells. These results suggested that most of the cell division-related F-actin increase occurred during late G1 phase in untransformed cells. Differentiation of HL-60 cells with dimethyl sulfoxide or retinoic acid normalized the F-actin content of the nondividing cell population, but dimethyl sulfoxide and retinoic acid produced no detectable change in F-actin in the undifferentiable Daudi cells. A tumor promoter (12-O-tetradecanoylphorphol-13-acetate) inhibits differentiation of hematopoietic cells, resulted in a 32% decrease in the mean F-actin content of RPMI cells due to the appearance of a new subpopulation of low F-actin content. The 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate-induced changes reversed slowly after removal of 12-O-tetradecanolyphorbol-13-acetate but more rapidly in the presence of retinoic acid. These results indicate that F-actin quantification can serve as a marker for cellular transformation and provides a tool for studying the mechanisms of cellular differentiation that may lead to a better understanding of the oncogenic process.

Comparative polymerase chain reaction analysis of c-myc amplification on archival breast fine-needle aspiration materials.

The oncogene c-myc is a key regulator of cell cycle progression (from G1 to S phase). The amplification of c-myc can either induce cell proliferation or apoptosis. As a part of our ongoing effort to develop methods for multiple tumor marker analysis, this study was carried out to determine whether biomarkers such as c-myc amplification could be analyzed on genetic materials collected from archival fine-needle aspiration (FNA) smears. A novel comparative PCR analysis was used to analyze c-myc amplification semiquantitatively. Genomic DNA was prepared using cells obtained from archival FNA materials that had undergone quantitative fluorescence image analysis (QFIA) for other biomarkers. Of the 72 cases selected from 1995 for this study, 53 had an adequate amount of DNA for analysis. A novel comparative PCR analysis was used to analyze c-myc amplification quantitatively. For each batch of experiments, DNA from the high c-myc expressing cells, HL-60, and DNA from the low expressing cells, K562, were served as positive and negative controls, respectively. c-myc amplification was observed in 16 (94.1%) of 17 malignant lesions, 5 (41.7%) of 12 proliferative breast diseases with nuclear atypia, and 4 (16.7%) of 24 other benign lesions (fibroadenoma or fibrocystic disease). The overall difference of c-myc expression among these groups was highly significant by chi2 analysis (P = 0.0002). We conclude that multiple phenotypic markers and genotypic markers may be combined in a risk assessment biomarker profile on small FNA samples that can be obtained on multiple occasions relatively noninvasively from the patient. The results of this study suggest that c-myc amplification may be a biomarker of breast cancer risk. However, additional large, prospective studies are needed to confirm the current observation.

Single cell multiple biomarker analysis in archival breast fine-needle aspiration specimens: quantitative fluorescence image analysis of DNA content, p53, and G-actin as breast cancer biomarkers.

Fine-needle aspiration (FNA) is a sensitive and cost-effective method for evaluating breast lesions. However, the diagnosis of early premalignant lesions is less reliable by FNA because of a lack of distinctive cytological features. Accurately defining the risk of such lesions at the individual level may have significant impact in breast cancer prevention and management. The main objective of this preliminary study was to develop a method to study multiple biomarkers on archival FNA slides using quantitative fluorescence image analysis (QFIA). Biomarkers p53, G-actin, and DNA content were labeled with an immunofluorescence technique and measured by QFIA simultaneously on a single cell basis. QFIA allows the labeling and measurement procedures to be carried out in situ, without the need to remove cells from the slide while preserving the morphology of the cells. FNA slides from 72 incident patients were obtained for this study. Fifty-six cases had an adequate number of cells for the actual analysis (25 benign breast lesions, 14 proliferative breast diseases with nuclear atypia, and 17 malignant lesions). The DNA content (> or = 5c) and G-actin (average gray mean, > 90) were positive in 81% and 88% of malignant lesions, respectively. These were significantly higher than the corresponding positive rates in benign lesions (7% and 15%, respectively; P <0.01 for both). None of the benign cases were positive for G-actin and DNA simultaneously, and none of the malignant cases were negative for G-actin and DNA together. p53 was positive in 33% of malignant lesions and 8% of benign lesions (P >0.05). Our study demonstrates the feasibility of evaluating multiple biomarkers by QFIA on archival FNA-fixed specimens. The G-actin and DNA content assayed by QFIA may be potential intermediate end point markers for breast cancer individual risk assessment.

Quantitative fluorescence image analysis of DNA content and nuclear morphology on esophageal balloon cytology smears and subsequent development of esophageal and gastric cardia cancer in Linxian, China.

The highest incidences of esophageal and gastric cardia cancer in the world occur in northern China. Chinese scientists have developed esophageal balloon cytology screening to detect these cancers, but traditional cytology is sometimes inadequate to find some early, curable lesions. Several studies suggest that quantitative fluorescence image analysis (QFIA) of DNA ploidy and nuclear morphology may be able to improve upon traditional cytology results. In October 1987, esophageal balloon cytology was performed on 1331 adults in Linxian, China, and all samples were evaluated both by traditional cytology and QFIA. From 1987 to May 1991, 62 new squamous esophageal cancers and 44 new adenocarcinomas of the cardia were identified in this cohort. Proportional hazards models were used to evaluate the relationship of cytological diagnoses and six QFIA variables to subsequent cancer risk. These models showed significant trends for increasing esophageal cancer risk, with increasing values in five of the QFIA variables and with increasing severity of the traditional cytological diagnoses. A comparison of models with only cytology variables versus models with both cytology and QFIA variables indicated that the QFIA provided an important additional predictive value. Persons with both cytological dysplasia and high cellular DNA were 8 times more likely to develop esophageal cancer than were individuals with neither of these conditions. For cardia cancer, associations between QFIA variables or cytological diagnoses and later cancer were more limited. This study suggests that the QFIA variables evaluated here are independent predictors of squamous esophageal cancer and that combining QFIA with traditional cytology can improve prediction of esophageal cancer risk.

Joint association of polymorphism of the FGFR4 gene and mutation TP53 gene with bladder cancer prognosis.

The impact of the fibroblast growth factor receptor 4 (FGFR4) Gly388Arg polymorphism on bladder cancer is unknown. We found no clear correlations between the FGFR4 genotype and risk of bladder cancer or pathological parameters. Neither the polymorphism nor TP53 mutation status was an independent predictor of prognosis, but they might act jointly on the disease-specific survival of patients.

Amyloid goiter in a case of systemic amyloidosis secondary to ankylosing spondylitis.

Infiltrative diseases of the thyroid include systemic sclerosis, hemochromatosis, sarcoidosis, chondrocalcinosis and amyloidosis. Only rarely does thyroid amyloidosis result in clinically palpable goiter. Classically, amyloidosis is associated with tuberculosis, rheumatoid arthritis, multiple myeloma or inflammatory bowel disease. Only rarely does clinical amyloidosis develop in the setting of ankylosing spondylitis. We describe a case of amyloid goiter in a patient with ankylosing spondylitis-associated amyloidosis.

Cytokeratin 20 as an immunocytochemical marker for detection of urothelial carcinoma in atypical cytology: preliminary retrospective study on archived urine slides.

Previous studies have shown that expression of cytokeratin 20 (CK20), a constituent of intermediate filaments, is increased in malignant versus benign urine samples. To evaluate whether immunocytochemical staining of CK20 on archived urine slides could be used as a potential adjunct marker for triage of atypical urine cytology, we analyzed a total of 77 archived urine slides obtained from a spectrum of patients with various risks of developing urothelial carcinoma. These patients were divided into four groups on the basis of initial urine cytologic results and subsequent follow-up biopsy findings; group 1 had negative results in both evaluations, whereas the results in group 4 were positive for both cytology and biopsy. Groups 2 and 3 had a diagnosis of atypical urine cytology; however, patients in group 3 had a positive follow-up biopsy, and patients in group 2 did not. The Papanicolaou-stained archived urine slides were destained and then restained immunocytochemically with monoclonal antibody against CK20. With 5% positively stained nonumbrella cells as a threshold, CK20 was positive in 94.4% of group 3 or 4 patients. In contrast, CK20 was positive in 27.3% of group 2 patients and in 10.5% of group 1 patients. The overall sensitivity and specificity for CK20 for the detection of urothelial carcinoma in this population of patients were 94.4% and 80.5%, respectively. This study demonstrated that immunocytochemical analysis of CK20 on archived urine slides could be used to triage atypical urine cytology into low- and high-risk categories and that CK20 might be a simple and useful early detection marker for urothelial carcinoma.

Quantitative fluorescence image analysis in bladder cancer screening.

Quantitative fluorescence image analysis (QFIA) cytology combines image analysis to measure DNA with visual cytology for bladder cancer detection. QFIA sensitivity is 76% to 81% and 95% to 100% for low- and high-grade tumors respectively, with 94% specificity in asymptomatic controls. QFIA screening of 504 persons within a beta-naphthylamine exposed cohort found DNA hyperploidy correlated with the duration of carcinogenic exposure and smoking history; marker prevalence was 23% for exposed workers who smoked and 2% for nonexposed nonsmokers. In prospective animal studies, QFIA was useful in monitoring carcinogenesis and chemoprevention with retinoids. Current QFIA research focuses on measurements of oncogenes, growth factors and their receptors, cytoskeleton, and tumor-associated antigens to improve sensitivity and specificity to low-grade tumors and to identify premalignant conditions. Profiles of biochemical and immunological markers on single cells may further assist in the study of high-risk cohorts and individual risk assessment.

Molecular and cellular biological approaches and techniques in the detection of bladder cancer and enhanced risk for bladder cancer in high-risk groups.

Recent advances in molecular cell biology, immunology, and toxicology enhance detection of actual and incipient disease and the definition of risk. Tumor-associated antigens may greatly improve detection of low-grade tumor cells. Several new strategies depend upon detecting molecular lesions of the genes controlling cell growth (oncogenes) at either the gene or protein levels. Highly sensitive techniques detecting DNA adducts are refining the ability to detect specific DNA damage shortly after exposure. The recognition of controls that actively stop proliferation (tumor suppressor genes), regulate differentiation or of relationships between metabolism and carcinogenesis may lead to new ways to identify persons genetically at increased risk from carcinogenic exposure. Current technologies, those on the near horizon, and long-term research needs are analyzed critically in terms of screening objectives.

Bladder cancer risk assessment with quantitative fluorescence image analysis of tumor markers in exfoliated bladder cells.

BACKGROUND: The detection of potentially highly curable low-grade bladder cancers by noninvasive techniques remains an unsolved problem. Conventional cytology detects such tumors with 50% sensitivity, and addition of DNA measurements to cytology only improves sensitivity incrementally. Tumor-associated antigens potentially offer an additional diagnostic marker. METHODS: In this study, the M344 antibody against a tumor-associated antigen expressed mainly by low-grade tumor cells was tested for its sensitivity and specificity, alone and in combination with DNA ploidy and cytology. Voided urine samples from 69 asymptomatic control subjects, urines and bladder washings from 59 patients with cancer, and 195 symptomatic control patients were collected. Cells were double-labeled with M344 monoclonal antibody and Hoechst. Each case was blinded, and the number of positive cells was scored by two independent observers. RESULTS: High-grade and low-grade transitional cell carcinomas (TCC) were detected with equal efficiency (78%, P < 0.001 versus symptomatic control patients). Urine samples proved higher specificity in detecting cancers. Patients being monitored for recurrence, but without current detectable cancer, were intermediates between control subjects and patients with cancer, suggesting that this marker also responds to dysplasia or field disease. Patients with outlet obstruction did not significantly differ from patients with previous TCC (P = 0.95). When combined with DNA ploidy measurements and cytology, the sensitivity for low-grade and high-grade tumors was 88% and 95%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The M344 antibody potentially could improve the specificity and sensitivity of detection of low-grade bladder tumors in symptomatic and asymptomatic patients as well as monitoring for recurrence, therapeutic response, and assessment of individual risk.

Quantitative changes in cytoskeletal and nuclear actins during cellular transformation.

Actin, a highly conserved protein comprising cell stress fibers and other cellular structures, is found in both the cytoplasm and nucleus of cells and responds to both epigenetic signals and altered gene expression occurring during tumorigenesis. We have previously shown that changes in the cytoplasmic F- and G-actin ratios reflect bladder cancer risk. To determine whether nuclear actin is also altered and how nuclear and cytoplasmic actin alterations are interrelated in transformation, an in vitro model of carcinogen-induced transformation consisting of 2 human uroepithelial cell lines immortalized by infection with SV-40 was studied. One line, HUC-PC, is tumorigenic in nude mice after incubation with the carcinogen 4-ABP, the other, HUC-BC, is not. Cytoplasmic and nuclear F- and G-actin were determined by QFIA on individual cells using fluorochrome-labeled phallicidin and DNase, I, respectively. Before exposure to 4-ABP, the PC cells had lower cytoplasmic F-actin content, higher cytoplasmic G-actin content, but similar levels of nuclear G- and F-actin in comparison to the BC cells. After incubation with 4-ABP, F-actin decreased and G-actin increased in both cytoplasm and nuclei of PC cells and cytoplasmic F-actin fibers were lost, but only cytoplasmic actin was altered in the BC cells. Northern blot analysis showed the expression of the beta-actin gene was only approximately 20% lower in 4-ABP-treated PC cells than in untreated controls, indicating the cellular change in actin was attributed to a shift between F- and G-actin proteins rather than to net actin synthesis.

Alterations of the actin polymerization status as an apoptotic morphological effector in HL-60 cells.

The alterations of the cytoskeletal actin network have been implicated as a morphological effector in apoptosis. However, studies directly linking actin change to the morphological events in apoptosis are lacking. This study quantitatively examined the effect of actin alteration on the camptothecin (CPT)-induced apoptotic process in HL-60 cells. Actin alteration was induced by two distinctive types of agent: the polymerization-stimulating agent, Jasplakinolide (Jas), and the polymerization-blocking agent, cytochalasin B (CB). The actin polymerization status was measured by two complementary methods: the cell pellet-based DNase I inhibition method, and the individual cell-based quantitative fluorescence image analysis (QFIA) assay. Actin polymerization induced by Jas caused apoptosis directly. By contrast, CB, an actin polymerization-blocking agent, partially inhibited CPT-induced apoptosis. A similar inhibition of the CPT-induced apoptosis response was observed with a more specific actin depolymerization agent, cytochalasin E. The alterations of the actin polymerization status occurred in three sequential steps during the apoptotic process: first polymerization, followed by depolymerization, and finally degradation. However, compared with CPT-induced apoptosis, Jas-induced apoptosis was characterized by pronounced actin polymerization that corresponded morphologically with prominent membrane blebbing, but less apoptotic body formation. Furthermore, DNase I activity, which is normally inhibited by G-actin, was specifically detected in Jas-treated cells. These results show that the regulation of actin polymerization is an important apoptotic morphological effector, whereas the alterations of the actin polymerization status by chemicals have profound effects not only on altering the morphology of apoptotic cells, but on apoptosis induction in HL-60 cells as well.

Identification of a high risk subgroup of grade 1 transitional cell carcinoma using image analysis based deoxyribonucleic acid ploidy analysis of tumor tissue.

The use of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) cytometry to identify a subset of patients with grade 1, stage Ta or T1 transitional cell carcinoma at high risk for death or recurrence was investigated in a retrospective study using paraffin blocks from 88 low grade transitional cell carcinomas of the bladder with an absorptiometric video-based image analysis system. Tumors were evaluated for ploidy (70 diploid, 16 aneuploid and 2 tetraploid) and the presence of cells with greater than 5C DNA. Survival analysis of 62 patients with adequate followup (15 to 20 years) showed that 43 of 62 (69%) suffered recurrences and 13 (21%) died of bladder cancer. The single most important predictors of death and recurrence were stem line aneuploidy and the presence of cells with greater than 5C DNA, respectively.

Alterations in phenotypic biochemical markers in bladder epithelium during tumorigenesis.

Phenotypic biochemical markers of oncogenesis and differentiation were mapped in bladder biopsies to investigate changes that occur in bladder tumorigenesis and to identify markers for increased bladder cancer risk. Touch preparations from biopsy specimens from 30 patients were obtained from tumors, the adjacent bladder epithelium, and random distant bladder epithelium. Markers, including DNA ploidy, epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), and oncoproteins, were quantified in individual cells by using quantitative fluorescence image analysis. Cluster analysis revealed the markers fell into three independent groups: (i) G-actin and EGFR; (ii) ploidy, cytology, and p185 (HER-2/neu oncoprotein) (ERBB2); and (iii) p300, a low-grade tumor antigen. Each marker displayed a gradient of abnormality from distant field to adjacent field to tumor. Different patterns for each marker suggested a developmental sequence of bladder cancer oncogenesis; G-actin was altered in 58% of distant biopsies (vs. 0/6 normals, P < 0.001), ploidy and cytology were altered in < 20% of distant fields and approximately 80% of tumors, and the other markers were intermediate. Patterns of EGFR and p185 suggest low-and high-grade tracks diverge early (P < 0.05 by Mann-Whitney U test for EGFR and ANOVA for p185). In conclusion, this study shows that a sequence of phenotypic changes accompanies development and progression of bladder cancers. Biochemical alterations in cells of the bladder field are often detectable before abnormal pathology, and markers previously thought to be limited to tumors were found in the field. The hierarchy of expression may be useful in identifying high-risk patients, assessing completeness of response to therapy, and monitoring and predicting recurrence.

Field molecular epidemiology. Feasibility of monitoring for the malignant bladder cell phenotype in a benzidine-exposed occupational cohort.

Modern molecular and cellular biology have provided powerful new approaches to study cancer in the research laboratory, but these techniques have not been used extensively in field studies or in screening of high-risk occupational cohorts. The primary objective of this study was to demonstrate the use of cellular and molecular methods in combination with medical and epidemiologic methods to identify cancer cases, risk factors, and markers in a previously identified and defined cohort of Chinese workers exposed to benzidine. The screening of exposed workers included occupational, medical, and smoking histories to identify exogenous risk factors, a limited physical examination, Papanicolaou (PAP) urinary cytology, measurement of urine pH, quantitative fluorescence image analysis (QFIA) cytology to detect DNA hyperploidy, and quantitative fluorescence to detect expression of a low-grade bladder tumor-associated antigen (p300) by exfoliated urothelial cells and elevated expression of the neu oncogene product (p185). Detailed analysis of the accuracy of epidemiologic data and the adequacy of samples and accuracy of molecular techniques was carried out. Three groups were included in this study: group 1 included 23 bladder cancer cases who had previously been exposed to benzidine and served as two surrogates for late-emerging disease; group 2 consisted of 20 subjects with previous exposure history but not previously diagnosed with bladder cancer; and group 0 was the nonexposure and nonbladder cancer controls. The results showed that accurate questionnaire data and urine samples can be obtained at remote sites. Among the 20 group 2 subjects, two displayed abnormal findings by both QFIA cytology and p300 expression and were later confirmed to have bladder cancer.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)